Issue - meetings

To receive evidence from Members and Officers in respect of organised visits to:

The Centre, Newham PCT

Heart of Hounslow, Hounslow PCT

Lordship Lane, Haringey :PCT

A number of panel members fed back finding from their visits to three health care services in Newham (The Centre), Hounslow (Heart of Hounslow) and Haringey (Lordship Lane).  The main points from this panel discussion are summarised below:

·        The Panel indicated that the visits were useful as they provided a practical insight in to the development and operation of polyclinics.

·        Panel members noted some key strengths of the polyclinic model which included the potential for greater collaborative working between a range of health and social care services and the possibility of these services being located in areas of highest need.

·        A key point of learning from the visits was that the polyclinic model in itself did not bring harmonisation of primary care services or facilitate extended access from co-located practices.  It was noted that, whilst a number of GP practices were working in the polyclinics that were visited, they did so independently of each other and that patient access to services remained unaltered.

·        The polyclinics were noted to be popular among staff as the developments had provided new and up to date facilities and equipment which had improved the level of care available to patients.  Although no patients were directly interviewed during the visits, staff reported that patients were also happy with the new facilities and services available at the polyclinic sites.

·        The Lordship Lane site at HTPCT was noted to be a designated site for a super health centre under the Primary Care Strategy.  It was noted that the existing building was commissioned before the strategy was devised and that there are plans to upgrade the building to a full polyclinic model.